FT MEADE 
GenCol1 
















































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































/ V*V \‘^7' V^V \ — 

* ‘>^810*- • ^ c* ♦ fCC\''-YA»° A v * 'l /nfe» '** • ^ <& * <f(\ c A 0 > 

i- "® • * ’ 4 A ^ <* ^ ^ ^ 4 A* \ **'..• <■ 

4 <& % , o"o„ <*» i ,ir * 4 ’t t « - « * <*, ftV 

*-> 1 ^ •°c^Nn ** <#> f° I'/rtTZ* O . ^ 

% cRsSMi^# ^ ♦ &v0' ^ + <N < ^ 



t # * 








0*0 


o « i 


\0 7*. 

<*> 

,0' • -> V * 

\ p .V\W/v. % & • 

* °. 

* <* ^ " ,0 O — < 

V^ G 0 * * ♦ ,CT . • t ‘ * 0_ £ 6 ° * ° 





o 

A- % -° -° 

•*" V • 

V ^ 

^o v* v c 0 :^ '<** 

^ 4^ i* 0 





x° ^ 


0 




N <L - 

& *■ „ •> ^ 

> V * 5 

* ,- V . 



'>* 







t* A* 



o-..-- 'o / , , v" v /:- 

^ V> + 




: W 


s* £ % 

p ' 'p 

.CT t - 1 ' 0 * 









*■*•0* 




<1 ' ^ 

^> “ *> - 0 










A O 0 " 0 * 

° 

,0° -IV.-' 

v t .* v;o .'V .•••.'> V ,'• •/, "o 

Vr ^ ->(\V/V„ %. ^ '^S- % P • 

N \ V ^ - c ' A Vv ^. 

'<» V.**.-V ^ / 4 , 


-a? ^ 

”, W -SS: 'V c, 

0 T , • 1 ♦ O c 0 m 0 










° ^ 

O Cy VP 

C^ vP 

• / Nimiiw^ \ 4 ? •> 

r y ay & 

^v”' " V’ .-. °*o **■ ‘ * /" o 


/ 7 \ 















•• W ' 


* A V ^ - 

4? % * 


V A-' * 

<;, % va£r\w T '^. *" ^>v » 

: : MSk\ ' 



* V * 

’• % ** *V 
°. vv 

• ^ V », 

* * ^ * 




- .yap** ^ o *7 v wv o° * * 7 ^.* ^ <\> 

y ^ • - ° a9 «> " 1 ^ °^. ■ - ° a c 

^ v s s **% c\ «<y • * • y> v % * Vc\ *0 V 

• A A * ^*dkV% «f> A*k > • .o. A. ^ A*^ 


• ^ r 9^ ♦ 

^ <3 


“ ^ A^ * 

V^ ’ A. /a 

* >- v, -y^v^* a> ^ • 

.«*' ,0 V o, '* - * * A 

0 V 4*^. ° 0 ^ ,^°4" % ^ 

« .* ^ ,*< .' ■” 
♦ 

W o 

* 

c *«* 0 ° *0 



; W - 


• ^ A 

yP S * 


• o 


° aV»\ 

' 4r % • 





* aS 0 1 

_* <flV ^ * ts y 4 

<* S'.*' <0^ O "••*• A 0- <V 

f\V ,»■'*♦ 7 0 A" c 0 " ° <* ^ 

C ° / / 


^TVk A^ * 

• <^rw £ V’ *• . 



.** ^ 

A ,,...% "’ v ^,..-,>o 
,„ . "■'*<. «> .> .'/^SV. 'V y **j 

, :|p. : W ^v 1 

** v % V,;|X* /\ 1 &M : ^ -\5Jfc- f ’% • 




% *..’• y °* ‘..o* y 'v *•<’• .y °*. * 

'. ^. v »V<JnC. >„ y .'.o.- ..^ «. v s!- -fv 


o H 0 


*♦. ^ :£Xb\ A? %.A : 




& 9 




o 


V\ 

• ® Mf, ; ^ ■* - c ^ \jy . 

* v ^ °.vK* v ^ a.v °. 

1 ^ a <r, .* O "• 

^ G o"% 'A Q^ ^o 

O j'O’ • cy^Vy.w". T- C J*~>/r77^-+ O 




9 * 


4 l'.^" ’ r .*l ''««*’* A 


• 0v V -^ 

' * A V V*. < 

4 A 





y V .^"°% < % 

, _ aN 4 ^A\W* •* 

^o k : 

^ ^ * 

o. * 0 ;o° .0" ^ 



<*>/r??^' ° 0 -y^vv^ ^ *Vv7^?,y_ ° . 0 .vssSSw** ^ ^ S*/r??^ 












192 ! 










*-1 





















































^ Tranf«w*i 

*-3 1929 







COSMOS CLUB 
WASHINGTON, D. C. 


Members of the Cosmos Club, 

Gentlemen: 

Within the next*year the Cosmos Club will have to consider the 
question of refunding its indebtedness on the Tayloe ( Cameron ) 
house, which is now covered by a $200,000 deed of trust due No¬ 
vember 24, 1922. In this connection consideration should also be 
given to the Club's future, to the end that a definite policy may be 
established for the development of its activities and facilities, as 
well as its finances. 

Since its organization 42 years ago the Club at nine different 
times has found it necessary to provide increased facilities to ac¬ 
commodate its growth. These have included four purchases which 
give the Club one of the most valuable sites in Washington. While 
the present buildings on the site provide, in a reasonably satisfactory 
manner, for the immediate needs of the Club, they do not represent 
an economical development either as a source of revenue or as to 
facilities furnished. Furthermore, they offer but little opportunity 
for expansion in the several departments, the need of which is becom¬ 
ing apparent andfor which it will be necessary for the Club to make 
provision in the near future. 

The membership of the Club should give full consideration to the 
question of its development and financing before action is required. 
To this end I am submitting for discussion the following statement, 
not with the idea of finality but merely as matters which must be 
considered in the ultimate solution of the problem. In its prepara¬ 
tion full consideration has been given to the fact that through wise 
management, following the principles and traditions on which it was 
founded and has developed, the Club has come to occupy an envia¬ 
ble position among the Clubs both of this country and of the world 
and is an important factor in the development and advancement 
of the activities in which its members are engaged. 

My principal concern is that plans be determined and a policy 
outlined which will serve as a basis for the future development of 
the Club along lines that will insure its rendering the maximum 
service and still preserve its established standards and character. 

Respectfully submitted, 

JOHN C. HOYT , 
President. 


October, 1921. 



DEVELOPMENT OF THE 
COSMOS CLUB 


BY 

JOHN C. HOYT 
n 



October, 1921 


HS znz.5 



An account of the celebration of the 25th 
Anniversary of the founding of the Cosmos 
Club, with a documentary history of the 
Club from its organization to November 
16, 1903, was published in 1904. Copies 
of this book can be obtained at the club 
for $1.00. 


-B.Y/.C,. ^ vr 



A—1879-1882 

Rented rooms, third floor Corcoran Building 



B—1883-1886 

Rented building, No. 23 Madison Place; house at right. House at left is No. 25 
The Club purchased No. 25 December 5, 1906, and No. 23 February 11, 1907 

















C—Dolly Madison House in 1883 as modified by Admiral Charles Wilkes 
Purchased June 1, 1886 



D—Benjamin Ogle Tayloe House (later Don Cameron House) in 1886 
Purchased November 14, 1917 
















E—1887-1893 

Dolly Madison House as modified in 1886 



F—1894-1903 

Dolly Madison House as modified in 1893 



















G—1904-1909 

Dolly Madison House at the corner, as modified in 1893, and the two adjacent houses at the south, 25 Madison Place, 

which was first rented and later purchased, December 5, 1906, and 23 Madison Place, 

which was purchased February 11, 1907 





































J- V 


OJ 

CJ id 




<D Tf* 


b/)Ori 


.£ >s Jr 

■u r rt_g 



, 

_o ^ 1> 

Ol 

Sfl > 

ON 

1 

xn c 

1 

o 

U-f *u 



ON 

C 5 :/: 

r ""‘ 

* r* * *“> ^ 

2 c -c 

ac 

£ <u y 

^PQ 3 


O' 


V 

'43 


iT. 

o 


5P 



D 


























DEVELOPMENT OF THE COSMOS CLUB 

By John C. Hoyt 


OBJECTS AND ACTIVITIES 

In response to a growing desire among scientific men resident 
in Washington, D. C., for the establishment of a social club 
composed of men devoted to or interested in science, profes¬ 
sionally or otherwise, the Cosmos Club was organized Novem¬ 
ber 18, 1878, at an informal meeting held at the home of Major 
John W. Powell, 910 M Street N. W. When the by-laws were 
adopted by the incorporators the scope of the Club was ex¬ 
tended to include persons interested in literature as well as 
science; later it was broadened to those interested in art, so as 
to include all intellectual pursuits. 

Although the original idea of the founders of the Club was 
to provide for the social needs of its members, soon after its 
organization the Club recognized that it had the further func¬ 
tion of providing for what may be termed the technical needs 
of its members and thereby contributing to the advancement 
of science, literature, and art, and its development has been di¬ 
rected to these purposes. By combining and fostering these 
purposes and following well-established traditions the Cosmos 
Club has come to occupy an enviable position among the clubs 
not only of this country but of the world, and it is recognized 
as an effective factor in the advancement of the activities in 
which its members are engaged. 

The social needs of its members are served by the opportuni¬ 
ties provided for informal meetings, including regular Club 
nights, in the general Club quarters, which include rooms for 
lounging, cards, billiards, reading, writing, and library. The 
Club also maintains a dining room, 50 sleeping rooms, a barber 
shop, a buffet, and a women’s department, provided with din¬ 
ing room and parlors for the families of members. 

[91 



The technical needs of the members have been met and the 
advancement of science, literature, and art has been promoted 
by lectures and also by cooperation with the Washington Acad¬ 
emy of Sciences and the societies affiliated with it. Many mem¬ 
bers of these organizations are also members of the Cosmos Club, 
and the Club’s part in this cooperation has consisted mainly 
in furnishing a hall for meetings of these societies. This func¬ 
tion was regarded as important in connection with the purchase 
of the Dolly Madison House in 1886 and since that time has 
been considered in connectibn with all changes in the Club. 
In addition to furnishing a meeting place for the scientific 
societies the Club has provided them with rooms for board and 
committee meetings. 

The Club exerts a large indirect influence on the technical 
advancement of the interests it represents by serving as a center 
where representative men of all professions and other activities 
meet and discuss their affairs. In this connection it has fre¬ 
quently been referred to as a national center of intellectual 
interest. The place of the Club in the scientific life of the 
capital was well stated by Mr. G. K. Gilbert in the address 
which he made at the twenty-fifth anniversary meeting and 
which is reprinted at the end of this pamphlet. 

GROWTH 

The growth of the Club is well shown by the increase in its 
membership and its business. 

At the first annual meeting, January 13, 1879, the member¬ 
ship consisted of the founders, 60 in number, 56 resident and 
4 non-resident. At the end of 1920, 42 years later, the total 
membership was 1,490, of which 753 were resident and 737 non¬ 
resident. The change in membership is shown graphically by 
the accompanying curves. The average annual increase in the 
total membership since organization has been 34. The annual 
additions to the resident list have been quite constant, averag¬ 
ing about 15. In the non-resident list they have increased in 
recent years, and during the last five years the list has nearly 
doubled. 

The business of the Club as measured by its revenues has more 
than doubled during the last five years. Over 9,000 meals are 


NUMBER OR MEMBERS 


now being served monthly in its dining rooms, and sleeping 
accommodations are furnished daily to an average of 40 to 50 
men. 



The increase in membership and revenues from 1915 to 1920, 
inclusive, was as follows: 



1915 

1920 

Increase 

Total members end of year 

1,059 

1,490 

431 

Resident. 

678 

753 

75 

Non-resident. 

381 

737 

356 

General fund. 

£33,492.88 

£65,180.80 

£31,687.92 

House fund. 

.... 57,836.09 

144,567.53 

86,731.44 

Total. 

.. 91,328.97 

209,748.33 

118,419.36 

Dining-room sales. 

... £25,422.14 

£84,583.08 

£59,160.94 


[HI 




9Z61 





































































































































































































































































































PROPERTY AND FACILITIES 


The Club’s first quarters consisted of three rooms in the Cor¬ 
coran Building, at Fifteenth Street and Pennsylvania Avenue 
N. W., which were opened January 6, 1879. Since then the 
Club at nine different times has found it necessary to provide 
increased facilities to accommodate its growth. In providing 
these facilities the Club has made four purchases, which give 
it one of the most valuable sites in Washington. The develop¬ 
ment of the Club’s quarters is shown in Plates A to H, pages 
3 to 7. 

In 1909-10 the new main Club building was erected, and it 
was then thought that this building would be ample for the 
needs of the Club for many years. However, as early as 1915 
it became evident that additional facilities would soon be neces¬ 
sary. In 1917 the Benjamin Ogle Tayloe House (known also 
as the Don Cameron House) was purchased, with the idea that 
the lot would furnish sufficient additional area to permit, 
eventually, the erection of buildings adequate to provide for 
any future growth of the Club, it being then believed that the 
existing buildings would afford sufficient additional space to 
meet not only the immediate demands but the requirements 
for some time to come. 

The property now owned by the Club, in square 221, at the 
southeast corner of H Street and Madison Place N. W., as 
shown in the accompanying plot and on Plate H, page 7, 
comprises a total area of 22,236 square feet, which is divided 
into three lots, described and known as follows: 

Dolly Madison House, lot 804, 4,282 square feet. 

Main Club building, lot 31, 5,761 square feet. 

Tayloe House and Assembly Hall, lot 803, 12,193 square feet. 

The size and the location of the property, with respect to 
both governmental and commercial activities, render it one 
of the most desirable and valuable sites in Washington. It 
has a northern frontage of 76.75 feet on H Street, a western 
frontage of 203.6 feet on Madison Place, and alleys along all 

[12] 


<ury Dept. I White House 


of the south side (145.4 feet) and about one-half of the east 
side (92.3 feet). In order to insure ample provision for the 
future growth of the Club the property should be kept intact 
and developed for the benefit of the Club. Furthermore, as its 
value is in large part due to its size, it is highly important that 
it should be kept as a unit. 


£ 

S 3 

£ 


Lafayette Square 


Madison Place 







I 

<o 


The present buildings provide accommodations as follows: 

Dolly Madison House (this building covers all of lot S04 , which 
has an area of 4,282 square feet): 

Basement: Heating plant, servants’ quarters, shop, storage 
rooms. 

First floor: Entrance, office, lounging rooms. 

Second floor: Administrative offices, board room, library. 
Third floor: 8 bedrooms. 

Attic: Storage space. 


[ 13 ] 


War Pish 
Bui/ding 

















































Main Club building (this building covers almost all of lot 31, which 
has an area of 5,761 square feet): 

Basement: Commissary, ice plant, print shop, buffet, barber 
shop, servants’ quarters. 

First floor: Reading and writing room, billiard room. 

Second floor: 10 bedrooms. 

Third floor: 10 bedrooms. 

Fourth floor: 8 bedrooms, private dining room. 

Fifth floor: Kitchen, main dining room. 


Tayloe House and Assembly Hall (this building covers about half 
of lot 803, which has an area of 12,193 square feet): 
Basement: Storage rooms. 

First floor: Kitchen, women’s dining room. The Assembly 
Hall is connected with this floor by a corridor. 

Second floor: Card room, parlors, 2 sleeping rooms. 

Third floor: House service quarters, 5 bedrooms. 

Fourth floor: 5 bedrooms, storage room. 


Although the present buildings provide in a reasonably satis¬ 
factory manner for the immediate needs of the Club, they do 
not represent an economical use of the Club’s lots, either as a 
source of revenue or as to facilities afforded, and they offer but 
little opportunity for expansion in the several departments, the 
need of which is becoming apparent, as indicated by the demand 
for additional sleeping rooms, more space in the billiard room, 
much needed small rooms for committee and other meetings, 
better library facilities, additional checking-room and entrance 
accommodations, and added facilities for the technical activi¬ 
ties of the Club. 

The uneconomical use of the Club lots is shown by the follow¬ 
ing table: 


Assessed Valuation, 1921 Area of Possible 


Land 


Dolly Madison House.... $94,204 

Main Club building. 80,654 

Tayloe House... 158,509 


Total... 333,367 


Improve¬ 

lot 

yearly 

ments 

{sq.ft.) 

revenue 

$22,000 

4,282 

$4,547.25 

55,000 

5,761 

22,940.75 

23,100 

12,193 

13,256.25 

100,100 

22,236 

40,744.25 


[141 









FINANCES 


1 he assessor’s rolls of the District of Columbia show the valua¬ 
tion of the Club’s property as follows: 


1917 1919 1921 

Lots ..._ _ $301,088 $330,564 $333,367 

Buildings . 90,700 91,000 100,100 


Total . 391,788 421,564 433,467 


I hese figures are supposed to represent two-thirds of the true 
value, so that, according to the 1921 assessment, the Club’s prop¬ 
erty has a value of $650,200. This does not include the fur¬ 
nishings and other personal property. Men familiar with con¬ 
ditions in Washington have placed the value of the property at 
a much higher figure. 

On January 1, 1921, the Club had outstanding obligations as 
follows: 

Bonds secured by Dolly Madison House and 

main Club building__ $145,000 

Mortgage on Tayloe House..... 200,000 

Floating notes*.. ... 45,000 

-$390,000 

On a valuation based on the 1921 assessment the Club has 
an equity in its property of $260,200. 

The finances of the Club are accounted for in two funds—a 
general fund and a house fund. 

The general fund derives its revenues from admission fees 
and from dues from members. Disbursements from this fund 
are made for the fixed charges, which include sinking fund on 
bonds ($4,000 annually), interest, insurance, taxes, retirement 
of notes, and betterments, and also for the cost of the operation 
of the house above the receipts. 

The house fund derives its revenues from sales in the several 
departments—sleeping rooms, dining rooms, cigars, telephone, 
buffet, billiards, barber shop, assembly hall. Disbursements 
from this fund are made for supplies, services, etc., required for 
maintaining the Club and operating the departments. Money 


*The floating notes are partly offset by a working capital of about $20,000. 

r i5] 














is transferred from the general fund to the house fund to meet 
the excess of operating costs over receipts. 

For the last six years the net revenues of the Club, after de¬ 
ducting war tax, loans, refunds, and transfers, have been as 
follows: 



General 

House 


Year 

Fund 

Fund 

Total 

1915 

$33,492.88 

$57,836.09 

$91,328.97 

1916 

34,042.64 

70,581.26 

104,623.90 

1917 

44,433.31 

107,770.21 

152,203.52 

1918 

69,586.48 

155,278.39 

224,864.87 

1919 

53,902.66 

135,366.69 

189,269.35 

1920 

65,180.80 

144,567.53 

209,748.33 

1921 (est.) 

63,000.00 

160,000.00 

223,000.00 

increase 

in the general 

fund for 1917, 

1918, and 1920 


accounted for as follows: 

1917: Increase in dues for resident members from $35 to $40. 

1918: Dues from associates. 

1920: Increase in dues of resident members from $40 to $50 
and non-resident from $15 to $25 and dues from associates. 

It is estimated that in 1921 the receipts of the general fund 
will approximate $63,000 and the fixed charges against this 
fund will approximate $32,000, leaving available $31,000 for 
cost of operation of the house above receipts, retirement of 
notes, and necessary betterments. The cost of the operation 
of the house above the receipts during the last six years is shown 
below. The small cost during 1917 was due to the postpone¬ 
ment of repairs. The expense of operating the public rooms of 
the Club is included in these amounts. 


1915 ..... $13,160.04 

1916 . 15,601.80 

1917 . 2,512.31 

1918............. 15,467.02 

1919 . 18,046.59 

1920 . 20,562.22 


[ 16 ] 











The foregoing facts indicate that the Club’s indebtedness is 
financed conservatively and that with careful management the 
revenues are sufficient to provide for fixed charges and operating 
expenses, but if the property is kept in proper repair the revenues 
will not permit any extensive changes or any great reduction of 
the indebtedness. 

It is evident, however, that there should be no increase in 
the capital outlay of the Club unless 

(1) Some method is found for paying all charges for interest 
and operation through additional income, or 

(2) Additional capital is obtained without obligation for repay¬ 
ment either by increase of fees and dues or by contributions. 

FUTURE DEVELOPMENT 

A study of the present needs and facilities in the light of past 
experience indicates that under normal growth it will be neces¬ 
sary for the Club to take steps in the near future to provide in¬ 
creased facilities. To this end a study of the Club and its future 
needs should be made and plans outlined for the ultimate de¬ 
velopment of its property in order that ample time may be given 
for full consideration before action is required. 

In determining the policy for the future development of the 
Club, three factors must be considered: 

(1) Purposes and activities. 

(2) Facilities necessary to provide for activities. 

(3) Method of financing. 

The history of the Club indicates that in the main the pur¬ 
poses and activities, as originated and developed by its founders, 
have been closely adhered to, and the changes that have been 
made are only those necessary in their application to the gradual 
increase in membership. Such changes could have been avoided 
only by limiting the membership many years ago. 

Since the organization of the Club the activities which its 
membership represents have broadened and extended both lo¬ 
cally and nationally, and its growth has no more than kept pace 
with the increased number of men who are eligible for member¬ 
ship. With the increase in non-resident membership and with 
a liberal policy for the introduction of guests and visitors the 


Club has come to be a national as well as a local place for the 
meeting, socially, of men engaged or interested in all lines ot 
intellectual pursuits; this has been and should be the main pur¬ 
pose of the Club. 

The social meetings in the Club have indirectly been an im¬ 
portant factor in the development and advancement of the ac¬ 
tivities in which its members are engaged. Indirect assistance 
along this line has been given by providing meeting rooms and 
other facilities for organizations which represent the same ac¬ 
tivities technically as the Club does socially. Such cooperation 
has, in general, been limited to the societies affiliated with the 
Washington Academy of Sciences. It can, however, well be 
extended to other organizations which function in the interest 
of those activities which the membership of the Club represents. 
These so-called technical activities have been an important 
factor in maintaining the character of the Club and its standard 
of membership, and they should be continued and extended as 
demanded but in such a way as not to conflict with its social 
life. 

The present standing of the Club indicates that its activities 
have been directed along proper lines, and there is no evident 
reason for a change of policy. 

To provide the gradually increasing membership with ample 
accommodations and facilities for social and technical activities 
without destroying the character of the Club is the principal 
problem to be met both in planning for expansion of quarters 
and in their operation and maintenance. In this connection 
care should be taken to preserve the simplicity of the Club’s 
quarters and the atmosphere of homelike sociability, which is 
generally lacking in more elaborate appointments. 

The following three plans have been suggested for treating the 
real estate of the Club in connection with future development: 

(1) Retain the property and develop it for the use and benefit 
of the Club. 

(2) Dispose of part of the property and develop the remain¬ 
der for the use of the Club. 

(3) Dispose of all of the property and secure a new location. 

Only the first of these plans is considered in this discussion. 


In order to retain the present property for the future needs of 
the Club without undue burden, consideration should be given 
to plans for its gradual development and utilization by the con¬ 
struction of buildings which should be so designed as to insure 
the economical use of the Club’s lots, both as regards facilities 
provided and revenues received, and which can be used either 
for Club or business purposes as future demands require. 

Revenues can be obtained from the Club’s property in two 
ways— 

(1) By providing additional sleeping rooms, for which there 
is a growing demand both by resident members who de¬ 
sire permanent quarters in the Club and by non-resident 
members and guests who desire to live in the Club when 
in Washington. 

(2) By using a portion of the space for business purposes. 
In this connection it may be mentioned that during the 
last few years headquarters have been established in 
Washington by a number of organizations devoted to the 
technical and intellectual pursuits in which the members 
of the Club have a primary interest. It is believed that 
such organizations would be glad to utilize the quarters 
that the Club could provide, thus eliminating the need of 
using any of the Club’s property for ordinary business 
purposes. Such use would be in keeping with the 
purposes of the Club. Furthermore, the Washington 
Academy of Sciences and affiliated societies will eventu¬ 
ally probably need permanent headquarters for coordi¬ 
nating their activities. As these societies are composed 
largely of men who are members of the Club and their 
meetings are held in the Club’s hall any permanent quar¬ 
ters which they may need would naturally be located in 
space that the Club might have available. 

It is not unreasonable to expect that ultimately the Club’s 
demands may require quarters that will consist of a building 
covering the present lots and supplanting the present structures. 
Such a building would, of course, have to be constructed step 
by step during a considerable period of time, and therefore, in 

[ 19 ] 


order to insure that this structure, when finished, will be ade¬ 
quate to meet all needs, complete studies and plans should he 
made before any steps are taken toward changing the present 
buildings. 

Preliminary studies of the possibilities of developing the 
Club’s property, made in cooperation with Mr. J. Rush Marshall, 
indicate that the H Street corner is as well adapted to business 
use as to club use; that the middle and southern lots, facing on 
Madison Place, are better suited for club than for business use; 
and that a new building on the H Street corner could at present 
be utilized to advantage for combined club and business use and 
would be a large factor in promoting the interests which the 
Club serves. The studies indicate that such a building can be 
designed with space available for either club or business pur¬ 
poses, as needed; that it can be economically operated in con¬ 
nection with the main club building and the Tayloe House and 
that it will also fit into a plan for the development of the whole 
property; and that it could be constructed without seriously 
interfering with the operation of the Club, as the main club 
building and the Tayloe House would provide for all needs 
during construction. The following space can be provided in 
such a building: 

Basement: Heating plant for all buildings, engineer’s work 
room, barber shop, toilet and wash rooms. 

First floor: Entrance, including cloak room and guests’ wait¬ 
ing room, lounging rooms. On this floor the present 
arrangement should be preserved as far as possible. 
When the middle and south lots are developed, this floor 
could, if desired, be converted for business purposes. 

Second floor: Administrative offices and Board room for the 
Club and offices for technical and professional organiza¬ 
tions. 

Third floor: Offices for technical and professional organiza¬ 
tions, or, if there is no demand for such offices, sleeping 
rooms. 

Fourth floor and above: 10 sleeping rooms per floor with bath. 
If demanded, however, one or more of these floors could 
be used for offices for technical and professional organi¬ 
zations. 


[201 


The governing factor in the future development of the Club 
is financial, and, as shown in the discussion of its finances, it is 
obvious that there should be no changes that will require in¬ 
crease in capital outlay unless the additional income derived 
through them is sufficient to pay all charges or unless the addi¬ 
tional capital is supplied without obligation for repayment. 

The studies that have been made indicate that the revenues 
obtainable from a new building on the H Street corner would 
pay the additional fixed charges and operating expenses result¬ 
ing from its construction. A building with 10 sleeping rooms 
with bath on a floor at $2.50 per day, occupied 66 per cent of 
time,* would yield $600 annually per room or $6,000 annually 
per floor. On this basis five floors of sleeping rooms should 
yield $30,000. I f $6,000 is deducted for operating expenses, there 
remains $24,000,or the interest on $400,000 at 6 per cent. These 
preliminary figures indicate that the plan is economically feasi¬ 
ble and worthy of detailed analysis. 

Although it may be possible to develop the Club’s property 
in such a way as to yield revenues sufficient to carry fixed charges 
and operating expenses, it is probable that no larger amount 
than at present can be set aside for a sinking fund, and the Club 
must operate on a narrow margin for many years to come or 
consider methods for obtaining additional capital by increase 
in fees and dues or by contributions or bequests without obli¬ 
gation for interest or repayments. 

COSMOS FOUNDATION 

In view of the small margin which exists between the Club’s 
revenues and expenses and which under present conditions will 
continue, it is believed that special methods of financing should 
be considered. To this end there is proposed the establishment 
of a fund to be known as the Cosmos Foundation. 

In general the successful operation of such a foundation would 
have the following results: 


*During the last 2 years the average occupancy of the 38 transient rooms 
has been over 80 per cent, and there is always a waiting list for rooms at the 
monthly rate. 



(a) Sufficient funds would be provided to supplement other 
revenues and thus permit, in the near future, a system¬ 
atic development of the Club according to well worked- 
out plans, so that it can function in the best possible way 
along the lines on which it was founded and on which it 
has been developed. 

(b) The present uneconomical use of the property would cease, 
and there would be provided a plant which could be eco¬ 
nomically operated and which would produce revenues 
and facilities commensurate with its value. 

(c) The future financing of the Club would be assured, and 
there would probably be no necessity for any further in¬ 
crease in dues. 

(d) It would eliminate the necessity of disposing of any of the 
Club’s property or using it for ordinary business purposes. 

As affecting the social and allied activities of the Club the 
foundation would insure the provision of adequate facilities as 
rapidly as the growth of the Club demanded. 

As affecting the technical activities of the Club, the founda¬ 
tion would provide facilities for the Washington Academy of 
Sciences and affiliated societies, as well as for societies promoting 
the other activities which qualify men for membership; it would 
thus develop the Club as both a local and a national intellectual 
center. In order to provide meeting places for such societies, 
there should be a hall capable of holding from 250 to 400, a small 
hall seating 100, and several committee rooms. Other services 
are possible but are subject to financial considerations. With 
the funds available from the foundation it should be possible 
for the Club to furnish this cooperative service to the scientific 
and other societies at a reasonable charge, and proper arrange¬ 
ments can be made so that it will in no manner conflict with the 
social activities of the Club. 

Funds for the foundation could be provided either by large 
donations from a small number of individuals or by small dona¬ 
tions from a large number. The success of any organization de¬ 
pends upon the individual interest of the persons who participate 
in its activities. Likewise the success of a foundation of this 


character would depend on the individual interest of the per¬ 
sons benefited. Therefore, the more members of the Club who 
contributed to it the more successful it would be. A plan of 
small subscriptions payable in installments should make it 
possible for a large percentage of the members to make contri¬ 
butions to the fund and would not impose on them an undue 
burden and should produce a substantial fund as a basis of the 
foundation. If admission fees should also be applied to this 
fund, eventually all members of the Club would be contribu¬ 
tors. If interest is manifested by the membership it is believed 
that the foundation at its beginning would receive substantial 
contributions, and that, once firmly established, it would in the 
near future have a steady growth by donations and bequests. 

The charter under which the Club operates is probably suffi¬ 
ciently broad to allow the establishment of a foundation by 
amending the Club’s by-laws. The details of the custody and 
use of the funds contributed to the foundation must receive most 
careful consideration, but the two following principles seem to 
be necessarily involved: 

(1) That the entire fund should be reserved as capital, in¬ 
vested in land or buildings or securities; 

(2) That it should not be subject to final disposition by any 
board of officers except after full opportunity for the Club itself 
to pass on the proposal. 


CONCLUSIONS 

The general studies which have been made indicate that the 
Club should consider and take action in the near future upon the 
following matters: 

I. The establishment of a policy for its future activities. 

II. The determination as to what disposition shall be made 
of the present property. In this matter three courses 
are open— 

(1) Retain all the property and develop it for the use and 
benefit of the Club. If the present property is retained 
consideration should be given to the following: 


(a) The preparation of plans for its ultimate develop¬ 
ment. 

(b) Consideration of the feasibility of developing the 
H Street corner at the present time. 

(2) Dispense with part of the property and develop the re¬ 
mainder for the use of the Club. 

(3) Dispense with all the property and secure a new location. 

III. The formulation of a policy for financing to take care 

of both present and future needs. 

IV. The desirability of establishing a Cosmos Foundation. 


ADDRESS OF MR. G. K. GILBERT 


At the Twenty-fifth Anniversary of the Founding of 
the Club, November 16, 1903 

About thirty years ago Donn Piatt, the journalist, a clever and 
pungent writer, entertained the readers of the Sunday Capital 
by witty attacks on various persons and things. Among his 
victims was Dr. Hayden, the geologist and explorer, whom he 
dubbed “the triangulating Hayden” and who was goaded to 
wrath and misery by the weekly thornings. He turned atten¬ 
tion also, once or twice, to Major Powell, but the result was 
different. The astute Major may have fumed internally—I do 
not know—but his visible action was to seek the acquaintance 
of the troublesome editor and meet him socially a few times. 
There was no discussion of the Sunday Capital , there were no 
favors, nothing was done but to establish social relations—and 
the attacks ceased. 

I recite this incident because I have been asked to speak this 
evening of the relation of the Club to science and the scientist; 
and because the principle of the Major’s diplomacy is one of the 
fundamental factors in the service of the Club to the cause of 
science. 

Those who search for the knowledge of nature which we call 
science are unfortunately quite as fallible as their brethren in 
other walks of life. False trails as well as true are followed, 
and it is often hard to tell which seeker has chosen the proper 
road. So there always have been, there are now, and there must 
continue to be differences of opinion; and the concomitant of 
divergent opinion is criticism and controversy. The inevitable 
battle of ideas, whether fought in print or on the arena of the 
scientific society, is by no means to be regretted, for it has a 
winnowing function that could ill be spared; but there is always 
danger that intellectual antagonism may lead to personal an¬ 
tagonism, that the heat of controversy may blind investigators 
to the community of their labors and interest, that egoistic am- 

[ 25 ] 


bition for victory may supplant altruistic ambition for the in¬ 
crease of knowledge, that paltry bickering may sully the honor 
and dignity of research. If the man who opposes our opinion 
is an invisible author, or if we meet him only in the arena of 
discussion, we are prone to be warped in our judgment and sus¬ 
pect that his attire conceals a cloven hoof and a barbed tail. 
But if we know him not merely as a rival but also as a man, we 
can usually satisfy ourselves that his anatomy is normal and 
inoffensive. It is a prime function of the American Association 
for the Advancement of Science, fully recognized by its leaders, 
that it brings men into personal relations and thus promotes 
mutual appreciation. It is a prime function of the Cosmos Club 
to bind the scientific men of Washington by a social tie and thus 
promote that solidarity which is important to their proper work 
and influence. The world but imperfectly realizes that its prog¬ 
ress in civilization is absolutely dependent on science, and Gov¬ 
ernment endowment of research is yet limited, and too often 
thwarted, by a lack of understanding and appreciation. The 
influence of our scientific corps—an influence of national and 
more than national extent—is strong in proportion as it is united, 
and it suffers from every jealousy and needless antagonism. 

There are no scales by which a social influence may be weighed. 
There is no logic by which the credit for a moral result can be 
fairly apportioned to its causes. But I fear no dispute in saying 
that suspicion, jealousy, and dissension were comparatively char¬ 
acteristic of the scientific body of Washington a quarter century 
ago, and that mutual appreciation, good will, and support are 
comparatively characteristic of the greatly enlarged scientific 
body of to-day. And I hold that the share of the Cosmos Club 
in the working of this change has counted for more in the promo¬ 
tion of science than has its hospitality to the associations that 
meet under its roof. 

In passing now from the service the Club renders science to 
the service it renders the individual scientist, I feel that I must 
tread gently, for the ground is tender. Let me begin with the 
truism that in each profession are men of high culture and men 
of inferior culture, men who possess the clubbable quality and 
men who lack it. Our Club was projected by men of a single 
profession, science, and it was by their invitation that men of 

[ 26 ] 


culture in other professions took part in the organization. At 
an early stage the door was opened wide to the members of the 
Philosophical Society, then our only important scientific asso¬ 
ciation, but credentials were demanded from all others. The 
principle thus established has never been abandoned, and the 
standard of admissions has always been higher for candidates 
outside the scientific field than for those within it. The door 
has yielded somewhat easily to the touch of the scientist but 
has resisted the push of the doctor, the lawyer, the man of busi¬ 
ness, or the man of leisure unless his personal desire was rein¬ 
forced by the possession of high culture and clubbability. 

Thus it has come to pass that we of the scientific contingent 
have been able to contribute less of social advantage than we 
have received. We have come in almost unsorted, the refined 
and the crude, the apt and the less apt, the socially skilled and 
the shy, and we have chosen our associates with all the skill we 
could command. It is barely possible that we have “made 
good” in some other way—I hope we have—but, whatever may 
be thought as to that, there can be no question that our own 
outlook has been broadened, our angles have been rounded, our 
conceit has been moderated, and in general we have been human¬ 
ized by the good society we have enjoyed. I would not carry 
a metaphor too far, but there would be a measure of truth in the 
figure if we should call the present occasion a silver wedding of 
Science and Culture. 


[27] 


3477-155 

61 v? 




































/ 



























McOi'ee.n-aPk 









<9 • 4 


• a v -a - 




< 

* A V . 

4 ^ <r * ** <L’ 

®. * * A <* *'..«* .0 ^ 

, o * ® „ <£_ r\ • • L 1 


sX v ~& o 

o V 



> ^ •^SsLl''** C° V »V^* r °o ^ .VSXW. '•%- 

*. ’W : 

* - '\#** '•'#+' . '®* ■*•••• 

>-**-•.**.*.' ^ ^ ,>Va\ ** a* Va* 





;* <& ^ °. 




\ *b / • 

•’ 4.°^. , . 

o * 0 ' A w ^J> * • ' ’ • 1 

**”'* 'cv ,9 V «> V 

» «£>. A *• , (g «* • ^ <f, *" 'Ca 

• .*A4: : 

,: J> V •$ - ^ v %. • 


0 * ° 



* - 

/ V ^ *- 

o . 1 - A f 

^ c °_* 0 ♦ _ 



*9 ^ 

**••* O 1 
* / ** ,*♦ 

° ^ 




<9 V"; 

\ V ^ * 

o_ ~9 ^ ^ ** -bo 

v ®*o a 0 <5> " 1 A °"° 

V **v% c\ i <y • *> v c *iiL> c\ <5 

^ * f^Mht ,. A . -i\Wa <• ^,. aV * «*C\. •#•„ A 

i : . 



c-' 

4 <tr ° 

% ^ ri> • 


> AV ♦ 

W : 

S s v . 

A' ^ °.' V d 9 ^ X ^4* *V ^ - ^gnw ^ 

s ,0^ <5 r *'».*’• A <* * % ,0' --- < 

, , 0 ^ .«‘'> o ■* \ ,o^..‘ -v © y" 

^ «’vCoCO.i^u* V*. , 9 * &<i■ -» « 

A 0 X 







^ A O 
o V 




o V 



, >*_ A 
o V 


* <t? &, 

^ ^ «CL^ r^ ^ ^ 

v' -A - r. •* X> o 'o** 1 * A 

A % 6 o_«. 4 *^o ^ v c 

N ^ «£^S\W%.* v * JFrl!//^ - ^ * 






>y 0v V ^ >9^ 

» * ^-/.iU■*■**+* A r o ^ >',.' '' • o j * ^ ■» 

o. 0- V <•-,,• f o .p.o* ,0 ; 'V **.’• 

. ,0 V .’•»- > v .vLVl'- ^ a?' .’•«' > 

' V,/ y^i£\ U _ y :£&\ V./ :kM£°« % ^ 


i 




* aV^\ 

x v ' • 



V 

* -^»' & , 

^ ♦ .v.-;•’ ^ ^ 

° w s ■» ^ 0^ • 1 ' * ■» 
















< o. 

X ' ^ 




<0 ^ 

,. "’• y % *•-»” a° v -...• w 

% a* % y 4Vv t, j . 

• a V v ^ AAA" • v 

, _.,^ r, » <i V ri» • * A * •& * A -,;V V Vj, c 

A <*y 4 • * * *’ X 6 N "o • »" A ^ , ** o 

*# 7 o *« °« * 

**••'•' y ®*f c0 V '•'-'• , *y > - 4 . ... 

. ^ .♦ .veto**. \/';>JCA A A ;yS¥- \/ : 

^ I ** y *y, fiBS’* 1 <£> \ vPjff^* ^'"Vj 









• • * a u 

y v . 4. ' • 




jV 6 o - 0 # ^ 

^ ^ A v 




V *•*-•» 







: A A 




i° a 

o • 0 

O * . ,1 c O' # 

^ A? > \> 

* ^f ♦ rC(\' /hA ^ * 

f V :a v- v 7,; W 

^ A V "V - • e> ^ 


-••- . v o. »' <. avy** _g^ v o> 

• L ' * ♦ o A c ° * ° & y j . t ‘ • 

^ .'^cv* A c o > •%, <-.° •*' 

ti n < ^ v> »«f ...V- -fv„< 




o’ 





A *• *. c ’’ v *•■’•■ 

v ^ > s> »*;:• % c\ 

W :».-. ft X/ yyyy ♦ 

A J> ° ^ A -* ^pi o 2 f * < V«^. a 

„„ ■‘f <^V * A * ^ A'‘ . r -4 ^ ^ 

^ » s ^■ '•» • - A <>**.. 4 ,G % -o . » * A 


^ < 



R ~ < ^s'MV;* A* ^ X' N ^ < ~* < '‘ 

^ V, ' /> i- ♦ k s _ ■»> '•;■ . ' A 1 * _ x. ■', * 

> ** t/ ' -f ° 0 -* r " 0* rP *y w .' 

^ * ' * A .^. 0-0 «x c ''' A>' 

*°' > v s«v> cv o '> v *2^L* a0 

ms3&<+* .*^'- v,/ m \/ A*. • 






* ^ • 





\p i> 

• *£T ^ * . 

o, *» • • * A <j. 

. A J> .•■*, <*. 
fe'* 'A ^ '!^nv. V « c * 


a y ^ * 

:..' . o' o 

0 V t * 1 ♦ O 













